Article transport apparatus

Abstract

Provided is an article transport apparatus which can transfer an article to a transfer target portion at a low height. A movable member having a support portion includes a transfer mechanism for moving an article between the support portion and a transfer target portion. The transfer mechanism includes an interlocking portion capable of being interlocked with an article along the front-and-back direction, a first guide portion for guiding the interlocking portion along the front-and-back direction, and a second actuator for moving the interlocking portion along the front-and-back direction. The transfer mechanism moves an article between the support portion and the transfer target portion by moving the interlocking portion along the front-and-back direction. The first guide portion and the second actuator are located higher than an article supported by the support portion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An article transport apparatus comprising:
 a movable member having a support portion for supporting an article from below; and 
 first actuators for moving the movable member, 
 wherein: 
 the movable member includes a transfer mechanism for moving an article between the support portion and a transfer target portion, to or from which the article is to be transferred when the support portion and transfer target portion are in alignment with each other, 
 a target stop location is a location at which the movable member is stopped when moving an article between the support portion and the transfer target portion with the transfer mechanism, 
 a front-and-back direction is a direction along which the movable member and the transfer target portion are spaced apart from each other as viewed along the vertical direction when the movable member is located at the target stop location, and 
 a lateral direction is a direction that crosses the front-and-back direction as viewed along the vertical direction, 
 the transfer mechanism includes an interlocking portion capable of being interlocked with an article along the front-and-back direction, a first guide portion for guiding the interlocking portion along the front-and-back direction, and a second actuator for moving the interlocking portion along the front-and-back direction, 
 the transfer mechanism moves an article between the support portion and the transfer target portion by moving the interlocking portion along the front-and-back direction by use of the second actuator with the movable member located at the target stop location, 
 the first guide portion and the second actuator are located higher than an article supported by the support portion, and 
 the movable member includes:
 a pair of third guide portions for contacting the article from lateral sides to guide the article along the front-and-back direction when the article is moved by the transfer mechanism; and 
 a fifth motor for changing a distance between the pair of third guide portions along the lateral direction to a first distance, and to a second distance which is a distance along the lateral direction that is greater than the first distance. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fifth motor changes the distance along the lateral direction between the pair of third guide portions during a transfer control of the article between the support portion and the transfer target portion. 
     
     
       3. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the fifth motor changes the distance between the pair of third guide portions from the first distance to the second distance during transfer of the article from the support portion to the transfer target portion. 
     
     
       4. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transfer mechanism further includes a third actuator for moving the interlocking portion to a first height at which the interlocking portion is interlocked with an interlocked portion of an article, and to a second height at which the interlocking portion is released from the interlocked portion and is retracted upward from the interlocked portion, and
 wherein the third actuator is located higher than an article supported by the support portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transfer target portions are located on both sides, along the front-and-back direction, of the movable member stopped at the target stop location,
 wherein the movable member includes a fourth actuator for rotating the transfer mechanism through at least 180 degrees about an axis extending along a vertical direction, and 
 wherein the fourth actuator is located higher than an article supported by the support portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a pair of guide rails extending along the lateral direction are so located to be spaced apart from each other along the front-and-back direction,
 wherein the article transport apparatus further comprises: a travel portion for traveling on the pair of guide rails along the lateral direction; and a second guide portion which is arranged vertically on the travel portion to guide the movable member along the vertical direction, 
 wherein the first actuators include a travel actuator which causes the travel portion to travel, and a vertical movement actuator for moving the movable member along the second guide portion along the vertical direction, and 
 wherein the support portion is so located to be between the pair of guide rails along the front-and-back direction and is so located that the support portion does not overlap with the travel portion, as viewed along a vertical direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the third guide portion is located along a vertical direction between the support portion on the one hand and the first guide portion and the second actuator on the other hand. 
     
     
       8. The article transport apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an article has an interlocked portion, with which the interlocking portion is capable of being interlocked, at an end portion on a side opposite from a side, along the front-and-back direction, on which a transfer target portion is located when the article is supported by the support portion, and
 wherein the interlocking portion is so formed that at least a portion thereof that is capable of being interlocked with the interlocked portion is formed in a shape of a circular rod that extends along a vertical direction.